Towards the end of a 75-mile drive today I lost the ability to shift. As I was approaching a red light I got out of 3rd and wasn't able to move into any other gears.

These are my relevant diagnosis notes:
- clutch has full/regular tension
- when car is off, I can move through all gears w clutch in (so it shouldn't be a linkage issue)
- fluid levels are fine, not seeing any drips/leaks
- If I get the car rolling while on I can move into first gear, but then I'm stuck in it and only way to stop is by stalling
- If I start the car in first gear with clutch IN it lunges forward.

So when off, clutch engagement is recognized. When on, clutch engagement is not recognized. Odd

For context, the car is completely stock, high mileage, and I am not the most experienced owner. Any insight or direction would be greatly appreciated. Hoping this is something I can tackle with a friend. Thank you for your time in reading

 

clutch master.... start there. look under the dash at the top of the clutch pedal and check if that rod coming out of the master is wet or rusty. what youre describing. also verify that the clutch fork is actually moving when the press pedal. pedal in or not, when the car is off you will always be able to go through the gears. all your bullet points there are what the car is supposed to be doing. anyway, clutch master is where i suggest starting. if it ends up being the issue then replace the slave as well and get a stainless clutch line.... just do it all

 

Each time I’ve seen this, a spring fell out of the clutch disc.

Your diagnosis sounds right.

Matt

 

Thank you for the insight Matt. Would you suggest I replace clutch master first to verify? Would like to feel sure clutch replacement is necessary before coughing up the funds.

 

Thank you for the suggestions. Rod is a bit wet but fluid levels are fine. Will have to get under and look at clutch fork this week. Makes sense to replace master and slave before sending off for a new clutch.

 

There is an inspection cover on the trans you can pull. Peek inside with a flashlight and make sure your throw out bearing is still connected. If it’s still connected and it’s pulling the clutch fingers when someone pumps the clutch, I would be willing to bet your clutch disc is still at fault.

matt

 

The rod is wet, replace the clutch master. If the throw out bearing wasn't attached anymore then the pedal wouldn't come back to neutral. So no worry with that.

the clutch master fails internally so it's not going to drain your brake master. The fluid level in the master isn't a good indication of a fault in your hydraulics that does not result in a leak.

replace the clutch master and do a proper bleed along with replacing the items mentioned earlier.

 

^ this.

Clutch master can have piston seals wear and bypass fluid internally without external leak. Regardless... You're going to want all new hydraulics if you are getting any external seepage. That stuff will drip down and rust out your floorboards.

Get eyes on it... Remove the clutch access plate and see if the slave extends and the clutch fork moves when someone presses the pedal. Still, it's probably just hydraulics.

 

I had a similar thing happen once and the diaphragm spring on my pressure plate had broken. Start with the hydraulics since they leak and work down.

 

I've had the clutch fork split in half. The early 93 cars (mine was Feb 92 manufacture date) had this kind of failure semi-frequently. It was a well known problem that Mazda had fixed by 94. Another thing to look for while you have the inspection cover off.

 

When my clutch fork broke 2 years ago, I couldn't move in or out of any gears at all. Maybe it depends on which gear you're in when it breaks.

 

It's either clutch hydraulics, broken clutch fork, or a bigtime clutch/ pressure plate failure.

The clutch master pulls fluid from the back of the brake reservoir. There's a small "wall" inside the reservoir to separate the fluid, look CAREFULLY at the back of the reservoir to see if the fluid level is low.

Typically though when the hydraulics fail you have zero clutch pedal - it just flops to the floor. But you may be losing enough pressure that it still pops up but it isn't fully releasing the clutch.

You can also verify this by putting the car on jack stands, removing the inspection plate at the bottom of the bell housing, and have someone move the clutch while you watch the action.

If as stated you are seeing wetness on the clutch master replace EVERYTHING - get a new clutch master, aftermarket stainless braided clutch line, and new slave. When one goes out the other 2 aren't far behind.

Dale